Green Winter Holidays

By Marcela Abadi Rhoads, AIA
Abadi Architecture

Architects have been talking about sustainability and green design longer than Kermit the frog was speaking about how is not easy being green. As designers, we are tasked to create spaces that are not only aesthetically pleasing, but environmentally friendly. Even the building codes now are requiring us as designers to deliver a more efficient design for our clients. During the holidays we tend to see a lot of waste. There is a significant increase in the amount of garbage that we throw away, and so much more energy that we use.

So in keeping with the theme for sustainability, here are a few things you can do this holiday to make sure we are doing our part to be friendly to the environment:

1. Consider decorating a reusable Christmas tree rather than a real one. This way, you will be saving trees and in the long run saving money since you are not buying a tree every year. If you are going to use a real tree, consider recycling it.

2. Send e-cards rather than paper ones. The 2.65 billion Christmas cards sold each year in the United States could fill a football field 10 stories high or circle the planet 10 times. The virtual card shop is on the rise.

3. Use fluorescent light bulbs to light your tree. There is a great product that is called a light rope which comes in different colors, and last a lot longer than your standard incandescent lights without emitting so much heat.

4. Don't gift wrap! Use re-usable bags if possible, or give gifts that don't require wrapping, like lottery tickets, home baked goodies etc. If you are going to use gift wrapping paper, then try to open the presents carefully so you can re-use them later.

5. Don't drive to the mall to do your shopping. Do your shopping online. This will not only save in fuel cost and less emissions to the atmosphere, but it will keep your sanity during the busy shopping season.

If we all try to do our part this holiday season to be a little more concious of not wasting our resources, then we can rest easier and still enjoy ourselves. Remember, Reduce, Reuse and Recycle